Retiring Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker has said that his transfer from Chhattisgarh High Court in 2018 by the collegium headed by former Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra was ill-intentioned and meant to harass him, reported Bar and Bench.

While sitting on a ceremonial bench on Tuesday to mark his retirement, Diwaker said that Misra showered upon him “some extra affection”, the reasons for which he is yet to know.

Nonetheless, he said, the “bane turned into a boon” as he received immeasurable support and cooperation from his fellow judges and the members of the Bar.

“I am highly thankful to the present Chief Justice DY Chandrachud who had rectified the injustice done to me,” said Diwaker.

Earlier this year, the current collegium led by Chandrachud recommended Diwaker’s name for the post of the chief justice of the Allahabad High Court.

Diwaker was appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court on February 13, 2023, and took oath as Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court on March 26, 2023.

In his address, he said that he left no stone unturned for the upward march of the Allahabad High Court, reported Live Law. “Balancing heavy workload is indeed a challenge in the Allahabad High Court,” he said.

The retiring chief justice also said that while the Allahabad High Court was subjected to much criticism, the “critics must see the difficulties and shortcomings prevailing in the institution from the inside”.

He praised the lawyers practising in the High Court and said that their behaviour is commendable.

Speaking about his early days, he said that he was never good academically but always had a passion for sports, which helped him develop an all-round personality.

“It was next to impossible for me to have a giant dream for performing the pious act of dispensation of justice but now I realise that everything on the planet can be achieved if one really has an insatiable appetite for knowledge and a sense of responsibility towards the downtrodden of the society,” said Diwaker.